FRANKFORT, Ky. (5/25/13) – A new industrial hemp webpage tells how the plant got started in Kentucky, how Kentucky came to be the nation’s leading producer, and what’s being done to bring hemp back to the commonwealth.

The Industrial Hemp Facts page is the most recent addition to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s website, www.kyagr.com. It provides users quick facts about industrial hemp and links to other hemp sites.

“We are closer to restoring industrial hemp production to Kentucky than we have been in generations, so it is appropriate for the department to provide a place where the people can get the facts about hemp,” Agriculture Commissioner James Comer said. “On the Industrial Hemp Facts page, you can read about just a few of the estimated 25,000 products that are made from hemp, find out about Senate Bill 50, and learn about Kentucky’s rich hemp heritage.”

The launch of the Industrial Hemp Facts page comes on the eve of the fourth annual Hemp History Week June 3-9. Hemp History Week, presented by the Hemp Industry Association and Vote Hemp, is a campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of industrial hemp and rally support for legalizing hemp production.

“Hemp was once a paramount crop in American agriculture as a hardy and renewable resource for various industrial applications, including cordage, paper, and textiles,” said Eric Steenstra, president of Vote Hemp. “Today, hemp is being used in an even greater variety of products. Hemp History Week 2013 will focus on how industrial hemp can build a future in which economic growth and sustainable agricultural and manufacturing practices go hand in hand.”